Southern Yemen's separatist gunmen affiliated to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) militia attacked the government forces protecting key oil facilities and looted the country's biggest industrial project, the Yemeni army has said.
The Arab Coalition backed 'Giants Brigades' and 'Shabwa Defense' who seized the provincial capital of southeastern Yemen's Shabwa from the lightly armed government forces last week fought their way further eastward into the desert where Yemen's oil fields are, seized them and looted the Yemen Liquefied Natural Gas company.
The army's 21 Mika Brigade said in a statement today the 'Giants Brigades' and 'Shabwa Defense' forces bear the responsibility of the escalation that targeted the oil facilities in Eyadh area of Shabwa despite the orders of a presidential commission to halt hostilities.
Meanwhile, the fighting has expanded further eastward toward causing the blockage of traffic Al-Abr, an intersection linking Shabwa Hadhramout and Marib provinces, and several soldiers and civilians have reportedly fell as casualties.
Reported by Abdullah Abu Al-Hassan
